Contribution to session on "Innovative formats of science-policy-society interaction" at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress, “Interconnecting Forests, Science and People” 19.-22. September 2017 in Freiburg, Germany

Dr. Belcher was granted Research and Professional Development funds to analyze the use of research evaluation in the context of to positive social and environmental outcomes.

The increasing external demand from research funders and research managers to assess, evaluate and demonstrate the quality and the effectiveness of research is well known. Less discussed, but equally important, is the evolving interest and use of research evaluation to support learning and adaptive management within research programmes. Researchers and research managers need to know whether and how their work is contributing to positive social and environmental outcomes to be able to adapt and improve their projects and programmes. We have done a series of theory-based evaluations of international forestry research projects. Each evaluation began with documentation of a theory of change (ToC) that identified key actors, processes and results. Data collected through document reviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were analysed to test the ToCs against evidence of outcomes in the form of discourse, policy formulation and practice change. The analyses identified strengths and weaknesses in knowledge translation, helped understand the conditions and mechanisms of knowledge translation and suggested improved strategies to increase research effectiveness. The evaluation approach proved valuable as a learning tool for researchers and research managers and it has facilitated communication with funders about actual and reasonable research contributions to change.